Polyantha Red

Polyantha Red is a deep, rich red that sits in the darker, more dignified end of the red spectrum — code 5602 renders a color that has been compared by restorers to Ruby Red (5702), the name it was rebranded to in 1957, suggesting the two are closely related shades from overlapping formulations. It is a warm, non-metallic red with brown undertones that give it an almost garnet quality, reminiscent of the terra cotta and burgundy tones favored in mid-1950s automotive palettes across Europe. The name itself derives from Polyantha roses — a dense-flowering rose variety — associating the color with the specific deep red of those blooms. Polyantha Red appeared on the Porsche 356 in 1956 only, making it one of the earliest dated factory colors in the brand's pre-A palette and among the most historically significant for 356 restorers. Rennbow notes it was among the founding palette of pre-A 356 standard colors, and it represents the post-war German automotive world's tentative embrace of richer, more confident color choices as prosperity returned to the country. Surviving confirmed-original Polyantha Red 356s are extremely rare; verified examples in this color are significant finds in the collector world.